AN event to reduce the stigma around mental health and showcase the range of services available in the city centre is being held.

Newcastle is preparing to celebrate its first ever Mental Health Day this Saturday at Grey’s Monument.

The day will feature a wide range of entertainment including jazz and folk music, Lindy Hop dancing, Capoeira and much more.

There will be a number of information stalls from mental health organisations in Newcastle. These range from small service-user run groups, to larger NHS organisations.

The main aims for the day are to raise awareness of discrimination experienced by people with mental health problems, and to reduce the stigma of mental health and highlight the services available in Tyneside.

Organisations involved in the day include a range of health providers and charities based in Newcastle.

These include Newcastle Psychological Services, Launchpad, a platform for mental health service user involvement, dedicated to improving mental health services, AIM, a charity that is involved in ‘Altering Images of Mental Health’ and Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust.

Colm Gallagher, assistant psychologist for the Newcastle Primary Care Mental Health Team, said: “Mental health services are here to help you through your troubles. They can provide you with support and ways to help you recognise and work through your problems.

“Newcastle Mental Health Day aims to showcase the range of services on offer within the Newcastle area.

“We have held similar events in the past for World Mental Health day in October with an emphasis on providing family entertainment and promoting wellbeing in the city.

“This year we have decided that it would be nice to have an additional focus on the availability of local services and have organised our own day on a date where the weather may be less of a risk.”

Alisdair Cameron, from Launchpad, said: “The day will demystify mental health and mental health problems from the moderate to the more severe and allow people to know what help is available, while having some fun in doing so.”

He added: “As well as reducing the stigma that often surrounds mental health problems, we also want to use the day to highlight and share the five ways to mental wellbeing with people from the city, these include: connect, be active, take notice, keep learning and give.”